The invention relates to vehicle windshield visors and particularly to a visor capable of providing driver glare protection from ahead and the side of a vehicle simultaneously, and extendable for greater vertical windshield coverage.
The adverse effects of the rays of the sun upon the vision and comfort of a driver when a vehicle is being driven into the sun and from the glare of oncoming headlights of other vehicles is a familiar driving experience. When the sun is low on the horizon, as in the early morning and late afternoon, a driver can be blinded by its glare with consequent hazard. It is often necessary to drive on a curving roadway when the sun is near the horizon with the result that the glare from the sun shifts alternately from the front to the side of the vehicle with turns in the road. To shield the driver, it is desirable to have a windshield visor to minimize the adverse effects from both directions simultaneously without the effort and distraction caused by the need to reposition the visor with each change in direction.
The conventional vehicle windshield visor has a single opaque panel, which can be pivoted about a horizontal axis between a stored position against the interior of the roof of the vehicle to operating positions in which some of the sun's rays are prevented from reaching the eyes of the driver. It is shaped and positioned such as to block the effects of the sun when the latter is at a norminal angle with respect to the horizon, but does not afford protection at low angles and from oncoming vehicle headlights. The mounting of a conventional visor also provides for rotation about a vertical axis so that it may be positioned generally parallel to the side of the vehicle. However, to obtain effective side protection, the driver must rotate the visor, and thus give up protection ahead. The conventional vehicle visor has fixed dimensions and position relative to the area of the windshield, and is not extendable or adjustable to establish glare protection against the sun at low angles or from road and vehicle sources.
Variations of the conventional vehicle visor design and attachable devices are available directed primarily to providing downward extensions of the visor, but none are known to the applicant that are capable of providing a simultaneous front and side shield, as well as being readily adjustable for low level glare protection. Applicant's invention overcomes these latter deficiencies.